Which 1778 treaty made France a formal military ally of the United States?

The Treaty of Alliance made France a formal military ally of the United States in 1778.

The agreement was signed in Paris on February 6, 1778, alongside the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. France recognized the United States as an independent nation and promised military cooperation against Great Britain. The alliance brought essential French aid to the American cause during the Revolutionary War.

French support included money, weapons, troops, naval forces, and diplomatic assistance. The French fleet’s role in the Chesapeake helped trap Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781, making the alliance a major factor in the decisive American victory.

The Treaty of Alliance was not the peace agreement that ended the war. That was the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783. The two 1778 agreements are also distinct: the Treaty of Amity and Commerce addressed trade and commercial relations, while the Treaty of Alliance addressed military cooperation.